New Native Theatre Presents THIS IS HOW WE GOT HERE By Keith Barker

New Native Theatre presents its second in-person, mainstage production since the pandemic, April 19 through May 7, 2023 at Dreamland Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This will be the first time that, This is How We Got Here, an award winning Canadian play (Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play in 2020 & 2018 Governor General's Shortlist) will be presented in the US.

The story documents the year following the suicide of a teen whose family still grapples with the ways their lives have been irrevocably changed by his devastating loss. Simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, This is How We Got Here explores the confusing and transformative process of grieving.

Artistic Director, and director of the play, Rhiana Yazzie, says "the American Indian community has the highest rates of teen suicide per capita than any other group in the US; this is one of the reasons I felt it was so important to talk openly about that experience with a beautifully written play like this." New Native Theatre has been waiting three years to produce this play and it will premiere in the 40 seat Dreamland Arts for fifteen performances.

Yazzie goes on to say, "We want to make this a moving and healing experience for our audiences that are made up of Native and non-Native folks, and we're excited to have commissioned composer, Danielle Jagelski, to write original music to accompany the play's production." Jagelski hails from the Oneida Nation and is the only female Native American conductor in the US. The two met when Yazzie directed the US premiere of Missing at the Anchorage Opera this past March.

Yazzie goes on, "I'm thrilled to work with such talented Native artists!" New Native Theatre has had a large footprint in creating an ecosystem in the Twin Cities of Native theater artists. The cast is made up of both newcomers and seasoned actors representing Lakota, Ho-Chunk, and Cree communities: Thomas Draskovic, Genevieve Lane, Jalisa McKee, and Canadian First Nations' film and TV actor, Mistatim.

The play opens on April 19, 2023, and runs for three weeks: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with the suggested price of $35. Audiences can buy tickets online at https://dreamlandarts.com/this-is-how-we-got-here/ or by calling (651) 645-5506. Not recommended for ages 12 and younger. For group tickets, contact New Native Theatre directly at boxoffice@newnativetheatre.org.

New Native Theatre is a new way of thinking about, looking at, and creating authentic Native American stories for the stage. Based in the Twin Cities since 2009, it is the largest and longest running professional Native American theatre company in the Upper Midwest focusing exclusively on Native American Playwrights, actors, and directors. For more details or questions about the company, contact New Native Theatre at (612) 367- 7639 or through email at info@newnativetheatre.org. Visit www.newnativetheatre.org for details.

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